Verna Drake

Verna Drake, 89, passed away at her home in Platte City, Missouri on October 25, 2012. Verna was born January 29, 1923 in Randolph County, Illinois to Harry and Ella Salger Degener. She earned a master's degree in education from Southern Illinois University and taught grade school and Title I in Waterloo and Watseka, Illinois for many years.  Verna and her husband were twice named "Citizens of the Year" in Watseka, in recognition of their community service.She was an avid genealogist, and published genealogies of the Salger, Degener, and Drake families.  She authored a history of the Watseka United Methodist Church and co-authored a history of St. John Lutheran Church in Ruma.  On behalf of the Illinois State Genealogical Society, she participated in the Iroquois County Cemetery Location Project and transcribed Federal Census records for the New York Juvenile Asylum.    Many children from that institution were sent to Illinois and other states on orphan trains between 1853 and 1929.  Verna was a member of United Methodist Church in Platte City, MO.  She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Harold T. Drake; brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law and sons-in-law. She is survived by four daughters, Barbara Fischer of Platte City, MO, Carolyn Drake of Washington, Rebecca Drake of New Orleans, LA and Nancy Stewart of Hurricane, UT; two sisters, Dorothy Zipfel of Evansville, IL and Mildred Veile of Belleville, IL; nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.Services will be held at a later date with burial at Lakeview Memorial Gardens in Fairview Heights, IL.Arrangements under the direction of Moriah Terrace Park Funeral Home; 801 N.W. 108th Street; Kansas City, MO (816) 734-5500

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